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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. FORWARD.

STAMP APFIXBR.

Patented Sept. 28,1897.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. FORWARD. STAMP AFFIXER.

No. 590,570. Patented Sept. 28,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER FORWARD, or SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN F. FORWARD, or SAME PLACE.

STAM P-AFFIXER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,570, dated September 28, 1897. Application filed January 30, 1897. Serial No. 621,340. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER FORW'ARD, of

San Diego, in the county ofSan Diego and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Stamp-Affixer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to machines for affixing postage-stamps to mail-matter; and the object is to provide a machine of simple construction that may be quickly and easily op erated to affix the stamps.

I will describe a stamp-affixer embodying my invention, and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of amachine, showing the parts in a different position from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial section and partial plan view. Fig. 4 is a partial section and partial plan view of a portion of the machine, drawn on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the parts in one position; and Fig. 6 is a similar View, but showing the parts in another position.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a casing of any suitable material-such, for instance, as metal. This casinglis provided with a hinged cover 2, and arranged within the casing is a reel 3, about which a strip of postage stamps is designed to be placed. The spindle of this reel 3 will preferably be removable, so that the reel may be removed for placing the strip of stamps thereon.

Pivoted within the casing is a plunger-arm a, having a handpiece 5 extended from it through an opening in the top of the casing. This plunger-arm 4 is held normally upward by means of springs 6, secured at one end to the bottom wall of the casing and hearing at the free end against laterally-extended lugs on the arm. This plunger-arm 4 is of boxlike construction, and mounted to rotate in the same are feed-rollers 7 and 8. The feedroller 7 has its journal-hearings in boxings movable in guide-slots formed in the sides .of the plunger-arm and pressed downward by means of springs 9. On an outwardly-extended journal of the feed-roller 8 is a ratchet- ,toothed wheel 10, engaging with a rack 11,

pivoted in the casing 1 and held yieldingly against said ratchet -toothed wheel 10 by means of a spring 12. The roller 8 is held from backward rotation by means of a springpressed dog 13, engaging with the wheel 8.

' Secured within the head portion of the plunger-arm 4 and forward of the feed-rollers is a stampguide 14:, which hasits outlet substantially in line with a cutter-blade 15, mounted on said head portion and designed to coact with a fixed cutter-blade 16, secured to the bottom wall of the casing 1, near the opening of said casing through which the stamp is forced for connection with mailmatter.

Mounted on the head portion of the plungerarm 4 is a strip 17 offelt or similar yielding material, and also supported on said head portion are two angle-pieces 18, which normally extend below the felt 17 and form supports for a stamp. These 'anglepieces 18 are pivotally connected to opposite sides of the head portion of the plunger-arm, and each angle-piece has an outwardly-extended arm 19, designed to engage with a pin 20, extended from the inner wall of the casing 1, upon the downward movement of the head portion, and thus swing the angle-pieces out of engagement with the stamp.

Movable through the lower portion of the head of the plunger-arm and through openings in the felt 17 is an ejector consisting of plates 21, connected by a cross-bar 22, which has its ends movable in guide-slots formed in the head of the plunger-arm. From the crossbar 22 links 23 extend upward to a connection with a cross-bar 24, having its ends extended through slot-openings in the head ofwhich may be pressed downward upon the material 29 by means of a spring 30, attached to the hinged cover 31 of the receptacle. The receptacle 28 is pivotally connected to arms 32, which are pivoted to the outer arms of the casing 1. By this construction the receptacle 28 may be swung upward or turned upon its side, so as to prevent the escape of the moistening liquid when the machine is not in use.

In operation a downward pressure of the plunger-arm 4 will cause the feed-rollers 7 and 8 to rotate and feed a stamp between the angle-pieces 1S and the felt 17, and as the head of said plunger -arm approaches the opening in the bot-tom of the casing l the two arms 19 of the angle-pieces will engage with the lugs or pins 20, which will cause said angle-pieces to spread outward and allow the stamp to fall upon the mail-matter. During this downward movement the free ends of the levers 25 will engage with pins 33, extended from the inner side of the casing 1, thus causing the levers 25 to rock through a sufficient space to allow the spring 26 to exert force from below the center or pivot of the levers 25 and force the ejectors 21. through the head portion of the plunger-arm 4. The spring 6 will return the arm to its normal upward position, and as it approaches its upward position pins 34 will engage with the free ends of the levers 25 and rock the same to draw the ejectors 21 upward through sufficient space to allow the spring 26 to exert force from above the center orpivot of the levers 25 and thus support the ejectorsin an upright position until again acted upon by the pins 33 in the downward movement of the head. It will be seen that the levers 25 having been rocked by contact with the pins 33 on the movement of the head downward and .the spring 26 exerting force from below the center of the levers 25 due to said contact the ejectors must necessarily remain in contact with the stamp or label until the stamp or label has been severed and the head has moved upward far enough toward recovery for the pins 34 to rock the levers 25 a sufi'icient distance for the spring 26 to exert force from above the center and thus support the ejectors, or, in other words, the ejectors continue their pressure upon the stamp or label until after the complete severance has been effected and the head is on its way to upright position, thus insuring the adhesion of the stamp or label to the object sought to be stamped or labeled.

The mail-matter to which the stamp is to be affixed will, of course, be passed underneath the moistener 28, so that it will receive the necessary moisture before being inserted beneath the opening in the casing 1. It is obvious that on the downward movement of the plunger-arm the cutters 15 and 16 will coact to separate a stamp from the strip.

I have described this machine as particularly adapted for affixing stamps to mailthe plunger-arm, a ratchet-toothed wheel on the journal of one of said feedrollers, a sprin g-pressed rack en gaging with said wheel, angle-pieces pivotally connected to the head portion of the plunger-arm, a guide leading from the feed-rollers to said angle-pieces, means for swinging the angle-pieces outward with relation to the head portion of the plunger-arm, and a'moistener forward of the easing, substantially as specified.

2. A machine for affixing stamps to mailmatter, comprising a casing, a plunger-arm of box-like construction pivoted in said casing, a reel mounted in the casing, feed-r011- ers mounted in the plunger-arm, angle-pieces pivotally connected to the head portion of the plunger-arm and adapted to swing underneath the same, pins extended inward from the casing and designed to be engaged by fingers extended outward from the anglepieces, whereby said angle pieces may be swung outward, a cutter carried by the plunger-arm, a cutter fixed to the bottom wall of the casing, and a moistener having a swinging engagement with the casing, substantially as specified.

3. A stamp-afixing machine, comprisinga casing, a plungerarm pivotally mounted therein, a reel mounted in the casing, feedrollers carried by the plunger-arm, a yielding material secured to the lower side of the head portion of the plunger-arm, angle-pieces pivotally connected to said head portion of the plunger-arm and designed to swing underneath the same, an ejector movable through openings in the head portion of the plungerarm, and means for causing such movement of the ejector, substantially as specified.

4. A stamp-affixing machine, comprising a casing, a plunger arm pivotally mounted therein, a reel removably mounted in the casing, springs for moving the plunger-arm upward, an ejector movable through the lower portion of the plunger-arm, fulcrumed levers having link connections with said ejector, pins for rocking said levers upon the downward movement of the plunger-arm, pins for rocking the levers upon an upward movement of the plunger-arm, feed-rollers carried by the plunger-arm, means for operating said feed rollers upon a downward movement of the plunger-arm, and a receptacle for moistening liquid, having swinging connection with the casing, substantially as specified.

VALTER FORWARD. lVitnesses A. XV. LANE,

V. E. BUnLoNG. 

